Powering palliative care with "Kathy-ness"

The Olds Institute's Community Lifestyles Committee nominated three local women for the Red Deer and District Community Foundation's 10th Annual Women of Excellence awards. The Albertan will feature each of the women and their accomplishments in the lead-up to the awards gala on June 7 in Red Deer.

A lot of people think Olds is a good place to live. Thanks to Kathy Kemmere, Olds also provides sensitive, compassionate palliative care.

Palliative care is administered to those in the last stages of life.

Kemmere was nominated in the health and wellness category of the 2017 Women of Excellence awards for her extensive work in improving palliative care in rural areas.

By day, Kemmere is a licensed practical nurse and clinical assistant at Wild Rose Medical Centre. But every minute of every other hour, she is the driving force behind the Olds and District Hospice Society.

In 1998, Kemmere attended a palliative care conference in Calgary and became deeply drawn to the work. She signed up for training as a palliative care volunteer, and then became interested in grief support.

In 2001, Kathy initiated a bereavement program in Olds and later began training hospice volunteers to support people facing end-of-life situations. A decade later, the Olds and District Hospice Society, where she now serves as vice-president, has 12 board members, six committees and 40 active volunteers.

In 2012, Kemmere learned about a new supportive living facility being built in Olds, and saw an opportunity.

While having a dedicated hospice residence would be ideal, the reality is that this expensive model is not feasible in a small community. So, she approached the contractors and asked whether they would consider putting hospice suites in the new facility.

Working in partnership with the contractor and Alberta Health Services, when Sunrise Village Olds Encore opened its doors in 2015, the Olds hospice unveiled two hospice care suites.

While coordinating with the public medical system and a private contractor has its share of hurdles, Kemmere said the three parties have managed to regularly sit down and figure out how to "play in the same ballpark."

"And so, what it's turned into – because there have been more successes than failures – is a model for other rural communities," said Kemmere.

Not only is the Olds hospice working with a dozen other Alberta communities, helping them implement the same framework, Kemmere is also working with researchers at the University of Alberta and the University of British Columbia to develop ways to refashion the model for other purposes.

Bernice Lynn, co-chair of the Olds Institute's Community Lifestyles Committee, spearheaded Kemmere's nomination, and spoke about her at a celebration dinner held April 13 in honour of this year's three nominees.

"I am extremely delighted, and exceedingly humbled to be able to talk about Kathy," she said.

Lynn went on to list Kemmere's accomplishments, calling her a "happening person" – the kind who sees how something could be done differently, and then makes it happen.

"Kathy also knew that she couldn't do it alone," said Lynn. "But because of her passion and because of her Kathy-ness, she got the people she needed to be able to help her implement a vision."

Kemmere's husband Al said something similar.

"I am just very proud to see that she is being honoured for all the work that I know she does do," he said. "But she doesn't do it alone – she's the first to tell you – she doesn't do it alone, she does it with a great team of people."

And indeed it was the first thing she said after the nomination dinner.

"There's so many amazing people in this community, and to have that acknowledgment is very humbling," said Kemmere. "But what it came down to, is that it recognizes our community."

While the logistical work of the hospice society – bringing practical solutions to rural communities – is what she is widely recognized for, Kemmere says the time she spends with clients – supporting them, acting as an advocate, and guiding people through the grief process – is where her heart is.

She compared that work to her time spent as an emergency nurse.

"I loved that people would come in one way and they would go out another. They were better," she said.

During her time working in palliative care, Kemmere has seen a noticeable change in people's willingness to talk about the end of life, and the medical community's willingness to support that.

"That makes me so happy, that people are actually talking about it, and recognizing that there is a journey to it and knowing where to go to ask for help," she said. "I think that's the biggest part of it. That in facing death, you embrace life."